Pleasant Hill woman stole nearly $43,000 in tax refunds, feds say

OAKLAND -- A Pleasant Hill woman made her first federal court appearance Thursday after she was charged with theft of government property and identity theft, officials said.

Sherry L. Hender knowingly used the name and social security number of another person to receive federal tax refunds to which she was not entitled in early 2012, U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag said in a news release. Those refunds, Haag said, totaled $42,989.

Hender will next appear in court on March 7 in San Francisco.

The maximum penalty for each count of theft of government property is 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The maximum penalty for identity theft is two years in prison and a fine of $250,000.